Top 5 tips to enjoy your road trip to the fullest

The open road is beckoning and your spirit is yearning to just get in your car and drive. There’s just one thing you need to do first. Well, maybe a few: you want this road trip to be perfect.

There are several factors to consider before you hit the road for your long awaited and highly anticipated road trip, here are our five tips to ensure you enjoy your road trip to the fullest.

Prepare your itinerary

Once you’ve decided on your travel destination you need to develop an itinerary. Identify your sightseeing route, where your trip will begin and end and list the attractions and activities along the route that really interest you. Set up a time schedule, research how long it will take you to cover the journey – taking into account stopping at the various attractions, engaging in various activities and of course stopping to eat and rest. Whilst you’re deciding what time to start and end your journey each day, be sure to factor in some rest time to avoid fatigue while driving and identify where you will be spending the night for each leg of the journey. Your itinerary should cover the trip both ways, to and from and always allow some extra time to accommodate unforeseen delays – traffic can be a nightmare!

Be fit and relaxed to drive

We touched on this earlier but it cannot be stressed enough: make sure you get enough rest before and throughout your road trip. Do not underestimate the possibility of your body becoming too tired to keep up. Driver’s fatigue, like car trouble, can be a huge spoiler of any road trip and is one of the biggest killers whilst on the road. Put your mind at ease by ensuring that both you and your vehicle are fit and ready for the road and make sure you have a plan in place in case you need to stop for rest. Are any of your passengers able and insured to drive your vehicle? Are there rest stops along the way? Using a reputable car rental company saves you the time, stress and money of having to get the vehicle checked at a garage for issues such as the tyre pressure, oil level and windshield washer fluid. It will often include breakdown recovery and allows you to add additional drivers so you can take it in turns to drive each leg of your trip.

Prepare food, snacks and drinks

Always travel with adequate food and water. There’s no telling what can occur along the way that could leave you stranded away from any facilities where you can top up on food and drinks. Having to go hungry or thirsty can cause some discomfort and anxiety, especially if you are travelling with kids or you or someone with a health condition that requires taking medication at a set time with meals. Make a list of road trip foods and plan on what to take each day. Keep a stash of energy drinks or sports drinks containing electrolytes and sugary snacks to give you an energy boost when you need it.

Listen to our playlists for the road

Grooving to your favourite music makes any trip super fun. Great road trip music is like that third passenger that helps to keep you and your passengers alert and awake so you do not fall asleep at the wheel. 3 hour car journey? More like 3 hours of live karaoke with you in centre stage! Make a playlist and get your favourite music together, keep your phone charged or pack your CD or USB drive in your bag so you do not leave your music behind. Don’t forget to check out the playlists we prepared especially for you.

Take breaks during the trip

Here, again, is a point we covered in the planning of your itinerary. Staying awake so long, to the point where you can no longer enjoy the sceneries and activities for which you planned so long and hard is no fun. Give your body some time to recuperate at intervals each day and remember, tiredness kills – always take a break when you need one.